The Korean Nationality
The Korean nationality has a population over 1.92
million, mainly living in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture of
Jilin province. The Koreans have their own spoken and written language
and a fairly developed culture and education. Engaging in agriculture,
the Koreans are well known for growing paddy rice in cold north China.
They all, young and old, love to sing and dance. They attach great importance
to hygiene and good manner, and their respect for the old and love for
the young is widely admired.
The Changbai Mountain in northeast China is beautiful,
impressive and full of natural resources. At the foot of the mountain
lie stretches of diversified farmlands and extensive orchards where over
1.9 million Koreans live.
The Korean people love their hometown. For a long time, their main priority
has been education. People say that 'Korean parents will make sacrifices
to send their children to school even if they have nothing to eat. In
this autonomous prefecture with 1.8 million people, there are 5 colleges
and universities, including a university for farmers, 7 polytechnic schools,
240 middle schools, 1300 primary schools and more than 1000 kindergartens.
The figures for Korean children in education are far above the average
in China, which is illustrated in the following chart from a survey undertaken
in 1982.
Primary education spread extensively amongst the Koreans in 1952 and illiteracy
was eliminated in 1956. In 1958,the Koreans made junior high education
widely available, and now 80% of Juniour high students go to study in
senior high.
White is the favourite colour of the Koreans who have the reputation for
being "the people in white ." Women wear short jackets and long
skirts. The short buttonless jacket, about 35 centimeters long, is tied
with a long ribbon, and the long pleated skirt hangs to the feet. Girls
and young married women wear clothes of bright colours. Men wear short
jackets, plus a dark, coloured vest, and they wear wool hats and loose
trousers fastened at the ankles with silk ribbons.
The Koreans live in houses consisting of a framework of wooden polesoroof
of four sloping sides covered with a thick layer of straw, and adobe walls.
Modern Korean houses are made of bricks and tiles, but the architectural
style remains unchanged. The most striking feature of these houses is
that there is always a flat heatable bed inside the room built with bricks
and thin stone slabs. A flue underneath heats the bed, so that the room
is warm despite the harsh winter weather outside.
The Koreans are renowned for singing and dancing. No matter their age,
whether women or men, they would dance and sing in-groups spontaneously
in their spare time or even during the work break. The dances, such as,
the Dance of Happy Farmers, Drum Dance, and Fan Dance, are only a few
of their graceful and spectacular dances. The Koreans sing to the accompaniment
of a folk instrument called Garaga. This is a tuneful instrument, 165
centimeters long with 12 strings, which is performed by the player sitting
on the ground with the instrument lying on his legs.
The Koreans love sports. The most popular games are football, wrestling,
skating, seesaw jumping and swinging. Their swinging demonstrates their
skill in reaching great height with style and evident enjoyment.
Seesaw Jumping is a favourite for most Koreans. The girls on either end
of the board jump in turn: first, the girl on one side jumps sending the
other up to the sky, in a breathtaking performance, and then they change
roles.
Jogging with a jug on the head is a popular game, which is associated
with the daily life of Koreans. The Koreans carry their daily necessities
in this particular way as a means of transportation.
The abundant resources of the area have provided the Koreans with various
ingredients for food. Their cold noodles and various kinds of pickles
and cold dishes are popular in China. The Korean communities are renowned
as "The Village of Delicious Food."
Good manners are important for the Koreans who respect the old and care
for the young.
There is a traditional celebration for the birthday of elderly people
who are entertained by their family members and relatives. The old couple
in their new clothes sits in the middle while the children, grandchildren
and relatives kneel down in front offering them wine one after another.
It is a happy occasion, full of singing and dancing.
The 60th wedding anniversary of elderly couples is celebrated in a festive
atmosphere by the whole village. On this special occasion, the couple
dresses up and their children and grandchildren give a banquet to entertain
the villagers. Everyone in the village greets them heartily and wishes
them a long life.
With their rich natural resources and educated workforce, the Koreans
today are one of the leading nationalities in both economic and spiritual
terms. With great enthusiasm and confidence in the future, they are striving
for prosperity and modernization in the 21st century.
